The Portland daily press., 1887-10-08
STRANGE PROCEEDINGS.
Montgomery University and the Cru
sade Against IL.
lst. Louis Globe Democrats


shrewd and somewhat travelled negro,
who was deputed by livery stable keeper to
show the way and take care of the team ON
eross-country trip with the writer, gave it as
his opinion that "the two mos onapprecia-
tionest States toward cullud folks was Georgy
and Alabam." The observation was not so
obscure as it might seem at first reading. In
fact, ii rather grows in force as considered
Georgia and Alabama are the two Southern
States where the color line assumes its most
fantastic curves and shades. There is here,
as in Georgia, the Bourbon element that
hastens to make itself ridiculous on the race
question at every opportunity which offers
slight provocation. There are here, too,
progressive, liberal white men, on whose
backs moss does not grow, and who have no
consuming fear that negro education means
social equality and amalgamation.
Alabama has made some progress. The
Legislature passed a bill ito establish the
Alabama University for the colored people,
and to provide for its support and govern
ment." The bill carried with 1t an appro-
priation for buying site and putting up
buildings, or, at any rate, for making pref
ty good start in that direction. There was
quite a competition among the principal
cities to secure the location of the Institution.
all in the field. Bonus funds were raised.
| The white business men Of Montgomery did
well. They pledged several thousand dollars
| TO the University If located in their city.
| There was business sense in this. Atlanta
| University, colored institution, disburses
| between $4,000 and $4,000 in that city
| every year. 1t is so much cash paid out an
| nually, and the business men OF Atlanta like
| this addition to their trade. They do not op-
| pose higher education to the negro as dan
/ gerous to society.
| But while Montgomery was about to add
one more to her collection Of public institu-
| tons an unfortunate fre-brand was thrown.
| A colored man named Duke, Jesse Duke, who
held Federal Office and attained some prom
inence in reconstruction times, has been
| publishing paper here for circulation
| among his race Two or three weeks ago he
spoke of white Juliets" and "colored
| RomeOs." In the North an editorial indscre.
| ton like this might have been punished BY
withdrawal Of patronage. In the South they
do things differently. 1t took several day:
for Dukes paper TO reach the right parties
for full effect. mass-meetlng was called il
| a cotton warehouse, some speeches were made
and string, OF resolutions was adopted
Duke was ordered out Of town under penalty
of being hung il he remained until night
| Anybody who knows the temper in which
Southern crowd comes out of meeting Of
| the kind described Will lnd0rSe the assertion
that Duke was wise both in leaving Mont
gomery and in not returning.
1t will strike the average northern minC
that this was making good deal of fuss
over a small matter; that it would have beer
better to have ignored Dukes foolish squib
publicly at least. There was the more reason
why this would have been the proper cours,
in the fact that Dukes editorial was prompt
ly and strongly condemned by leading coloreC
men of Montgomery A gentleman, a South
ern man and Democrat, who was present a
the mass-meeting held TO take action, say
that in the midst of the speeeh-making,
colored man worth 100000 arose and asked
the privilege of saying few words. He wa
told to 60 on, and in dignifed way said h,
was law-abiding citizen and taxpayer o
Montgomery. He desired to say that he dis
approved entirely of such sentiments a
Duke had given expression to in his editorial
Shouts Of approval went up. That
rightv' "Goodl" you're all right" an,
other reassuring utterances came from al
parts of the assemblage.
As has been said leading colored men with
| out exception condemned Dukes unfortunat
squib. But the disappearance of the editC
and the reputation Of the obnoxious editori
al BY his people were not sufficient. Tn
specter of social equality had been raised an
it would not down. The first mass-meetin